Winding machine



D. J. KELMAN WINDING MACHINE May 11, 193 51:

, 1931 2 Sheets-$heet 1 Filed Nov. 18

F ssnil wk wk VENT BY W 7 51TTORJWZY May 1,, 1934. D. KELMAN 1,957,@68

WINDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 1,1934 6 Claims.

This invention relates to winding machines. It is particularly directedto a machine for winding a decorative cord or the like elongated stripor strand about an annular member, for example, in

5 making a Christmas wreath.

An object of this invention is to provide in a machine of the characterdescribed having an annular rotatable winding member and means forsupporting an annular core to be wound in a plane perpendicular to thewinding member and with said core passing through said winding member,highly improved means for permitting removal of the core from thewinding member and for rotating the core simultaneously with rotation of15 said winding member.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a machine of thecharacter described improved means for regulating the relative speeds ofrotation of the winding member and core.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a neat, compactand rugged machine of the character described, comprising comparativelyfew and simple parts, easy to assemble and operate, which shall berelatively inexpensive to 25 manufacture, smooth and positive inoperation and yet practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thscope of application will be 35 indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the variousillustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a machine 40 embodying theinvention with a core mounted thereon for the winding operation:

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of a por- 45 tion of the coresupporting means;

Fig. 4 is a sectional developed view taken on line i 4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, designates a machine embodyingthe invention, here shown for the purpose of illustration only, in theform of a device for winding a decorative cord or other elongated strandor strip about an 55 annular core for making a Christmas wreath, it

being understood however, that the machine may be used for winding agreat variety of annular or ring members. The machine 10 comprises abase 11 on which is mounted an upstanding segmental housing 12 rotatablysupporting an annular ring shaped gear 13, rotated in the mannerhereinafter described. The machine 10 further comprises means forsupporting and rotating an annular core 14 in a plane perpendicular tothe plane of the ring gear 13 and with said core passing through saidgear, the supporting and rotating means being in the form of a member 15operatively connected to the gear 13, for simultaneous rotationtherewith, and a pair of spaced idlers or rollers 16 and 17 engaging thecore at points spaced preferably 120 from the member 15. The winding ofthe core 14 is accomplished by means of thread, cord or the like windingstrip 20 unwinding from a spool 21 rotatably mounted on a spindle 23fixed to the annular gear 13.

The housing 12 preferably comprises a vertical upstanding plate member25 having a foot portion 27 attached to the base 11 by means of bolts 27or the like fastening devices. The plate member 25 is formed with acurved segmental portion 26, preferably of more than 180. The segmentalportion 26 terminates in radial outwardly extending ear portions 28 and29, disposed at the front of the machine. The portion 26 of the housingmember 25 is further formed preferably midway between the ear portions28 and 29 with a radial outwardly extending ear 30. Integrally formedwith said plate member 25 and extending at right angles thereto from theouter rim thereof is a curved wall 31 following the outer contour of themember 25. The wall thus extends around the ears 28, 29 and 30 and alongthe curved portion of the segment 26 and along the side edges of themember 25 down to the foot 27 thereof. The wall portion 31 is formedwith a plurality of spaced enlargements or bosses 32 for the purposehereinafter stated. Attached to the free edge 33 of the wall portion 31is a flat plate member 34 substantially similar in shape to the wallportion 25 and parallel thereto and likewise having a foot 35 attachedto the base 11 by means of bolts 36 or the like fastening devices. Theattachment between the member 34 and the member 25 may be made by meansof bolts 3'7 extending through suitable aligned openings in the bosses32 and outer edge of the member 34. It will be noted that the housing 12formed by members 25 and 34 is channel shape in cross-section forrotatably receiving the annular ring shaped gear 13. After the gear isassembled with the housing, the former cannot be removed because thehousing is more than 180 as shown in Fig. 2.

The construction of the gear 13 will now be described. Said gear 13comprises a main section 40 having an annular angle preferably greaterthan the angle of the housing 12, so that the ends 41 and 42 of thesection 40 may project beyond the ear portions 28 and 29, as illustratedin Fig. 2 of the drawings. The section 40 comprisesa body 43 and plates44 and 45 attached to sides of the body 43 by means of screws 46 or thelike fastening means. The body 43 is formed with gear teeth 47 on theouter periphery thereof and the plates 44 and 45 preferably projectbeyond said teeth to guard the operators hands against contact with saidgear teeth.

Pivoted to the end 42 of section 40 is a comple-' mentary segmentalsection 48 completing the gear 13. The section 48 likewise comprises abody 49 and plates 50 and 51 attached to the sides thereof by means ofscrews or the like fastening means. Fixed to one end 52 of section 48 isa pin 53 pivotally received within a socket 54 formed in the adjacentend 42 of section 40. The opposite end of the body 49 is formed with abeveled surface 56 and with a notch or depression 57. The end 41 of thesection 40 is formed with a recess 60 housing a ball 61 pressed by aspring 62 into engagement with the notch 57. The plate 44 of section 40preferably extends beyond the end 42 of said section, as shown at 64,and one end of the plate 50 terminates short of the end 55 of the body,as shown at 65, to permit said end 55 of the body to contact theprojecting portion 64 of said plate 44.

It will now be understood that the section 48 may be pivoted about thepin 53 to provide an opening for inserting the core 14 within theringshaped gear or for removing the core therefrom. Upon applying sidepressure to the upper end of the section 48 to the right, as shown inFig. 4, said section will pivot about the pin 53 to the position shownin dot-dash lines in Fig. 4. The section 48 may be moved back to normalposition by merely pushing the same against the projecting portion 64 ofthe plate 44, the spring pressed ball 61 snapping into the socket 5'7for retaining said section 48 in normal position.

For rotating the gear and supporting the same within the housing 12there is provided a pair of idler gears and '71 suitably mounted forrotation within the ear shaped portions 28 and 29 of the housing 12 andmeshing with the teeth of the gear 13. The ear shaped portion '72 of theplate 34, parallel to the ear 30 of the plate 25, is formed with abearing opening 73, and said ear portion 30 is formed with an alignedbearing opening 74. Extending through said openings and journaledtherein is a shaft '75 extending to one side of the housing 12, as shownin Fig. 1 of the drawings. Fixed to the portion of the shaft '75extending between the ears 30 and 72, is a gear 76 likewise meshing'withthe teeth 47 of the gear 13. The shaft '75 is preferably supported on astanchion 7'7 mounted on base 11 and formed with a bearing '78 forreceiving said shaft. For rotating said shaft '75, there is fixedthereto a pulley '79 driven by a belt operated in any suitable manner,for example, an electric motor, not shown. It will now be understoodthat rotation of pulley '79 will cause rotation of gear 13 thru shaftand gear 76.

For rotating the core actuating member 15, simultaneously with gear 13,there is provided a shaft 80 parallel to the shaft 75 and journaled in abearing 81 formed in said stanchion '77. One end of said shaft 80 may befurther supported and journaled within a bearing 82 formed in the plateportion 34 of the housing 12. The shafts '75 and 80 preferably extendbeyond the stanchion 77, as at 83 and 84, and fixedly moimted on saidextensions are complementary conical pulleys 85 and 86, receiving a belt87. It will thus be seen that the shaft 80 is driven through the belt8'? received in complementary grooves of the pulleys 85 and 86. Saidpulleys 85 and 86 are preferably oppositely tapered so that the relativespeeds of rotation of the shafts 75 and 80 may be changed by merelyshifting the belt 87 from one set of grooves to another set of grooves.

Mounted on the base 11 is an upstanding housing 90 formed with bearings91 on opposite side walls 91 thereof receiving said shaft 80 whichextends through said housing. Fixed to the portion of the shaft 80extending within the side housing walls 91 is a worm 92 for the purposehereinafter appearing. Rotatably mounted on said housing 90 is a shaft93 disposed at right angles to the shaft 80 and journaled withinbearings 94 formed on the front and rear walls 94 of said housing. Fixedto the portion of the shaft 93 extending between said front and rearwalls 94 of the housing is a worm wheel 95 meshing with said worm 92.The shaft 93 preferably projects forwardly of the housing 90 and fixedlymounted on the front end of said shaft 93 is said member 15 adapted toengage the core 14. It will now be understood that said member 15 willbe rotated simultaneously with gear 13, thru shafts 93, 80, pulleys 85,86 and shaft '75.

Said member 15 may be made of soft rubber or any other suitable materialand preferably comprises the rear wall or disc 97 and a frusto-conicalportion 98 tapering inwardly toward the disc 9'7.

Obviously the member 15 may have any suitable shape for effectivelyfrictionally engaging the core 14 for rotating the same by a frictiondrive. In the present instance the core 14 is formed with a flat, rearsurface 99 and a semi-cylindrical front surface 100. to engage thesurface 99 of the core, and the conical surface of the portion 98 ofsaid member 15 is adapted to engage the surface 100 of the core.

Means is provided for adjustably supporting the idler roller 16 incontact with the core 14. To this end a bracket 102 is attached to thebase 11, for example, by means of screws 103. Extending through thelower end of the bracket 102 is a bolt 104. Said bolt 104 serves toattach to the bracket 102 an arm 105 in the form of an elongated striphaving a slot 106 therein receiving said bolt therethrough. A spacingsleeve 10'? may serve to separate the bracket portion 102 from the arm105. It will thus be seen that the longitudinal as well as the angularposition of the arm 105 may be adjusted by manipulating the nut 103 ofthe bolt 104. Fixed to the outer end 110 of the arm 105 is a pin 111 onwhich is rotatably mounted the member 16. Said member 16 is preferablysubstantially similar in shape to the member 15 and is likewise providedwith a rear disc portion and a frusto-conical portion for engaging thecore 14. It will now be understood that the portion of the member 16 maybe adjusted as required, depending upon the size of the core to bewound, and then fixed in adjusted position.

The third core supporting idler or roller 17 is preferably supported formovement into or out of contact with the core, in the manner herein-Thus the disc 97 is adapted after appearing, to permit positioning ofthe core for the winding operation and removal of the core after thesame is fully wound. To this end there is fixed to one end of the base11 a pair of parallel rods 115 and 116 and slidably mounted on said rodsis a block 117 having suitable openings slid: ably receiving said rodstherethrough. Screwed to an extension of said block 117 is a stud or pin118 parallel to the axis of the core, and rotatably mounted on said pinis an arm 119 formed with a longitudinal slot 129. Extending throughsaid slot 120 is a pin 121 fixed to said arm in adjusted position bymeans of a nut 122. The member 17 is rotatably mounted on said pin 121and is likewise formed with a rear disc portion and a frustoconicalportion for engaging the core 14. It will be noted that the member 17may be adjusted along the length of arm 119 due to the slot 126, andthen fixed in a suitable adjusted position. Furthermore, the arm 119 maybe swung about the pin 118 into or out of contact with the core 14. Thusafter the winding operation, the arm 19 may be swung counterclockwise,looking at Fig. 1, to move the member 1? away from the core to permitremoval of the core.

As stated above, a spool of thread to be wound about the core 14 may berotatabiy mounted on pin 23 fixed to and extending to one side of thegear 13. Fixed to said gear 13 is a block 12 1 extending tangentially ofsaid gear and formed with a slot 123 receiving the thread 2o from saidspool 21, said thread passing from said slot to the core, as illustratedin Fig. 1. To prevent too rapid unwinding or racing of the spool 21there is fixed to the gear 13 a pin 125 on which is rotatably mounted aleaf 126 pressed by means of spring 12? mounted on said pin, againstsaid spool.

The operation of the device will now be readily understood. With theoperating motor for the machine not running, and arms 119 swung to theleft, the upper end of the section i8 of the gear 13 is first pressedsideways for causing pivotal movement of said section. The upper end 55of section 48 is thus separated from the adjacent end 42 of section 40.The core 1 1- may now be passed through the opening between saidseparated ends of the sections 48 and 4e and moved into contact with themembers 14 and 16. The arm 119 may then be swung for moving the memberinto contact with the core 14. The section 48 is then swung back andsnapped into place to complete the gear 13. The operating motor is thenstarted and the pulley 79 rotated for simultaneously rotating the gear13 and the member 15. The spool is thus rotated with the gear around thecore and the core rotated about its axis. One end of the thread 20 is ofcourse, tied or otherwise .attached to the core 1 1, before the motor isstarted. As the gear 13 rotates, the spool 21 will rotate therewith forwinding the thread 20 about the core 14 and since said core alsorotates, the thread will completely cover the core. Obviously, therelative speed of rotation depends upon the width of the thread or strip21). When he core is completely covered by the winding element 20, themotor is stopped and said strip or element severed and tucked underneaththe covering or tied to the core. The arm 119 is then swung outwardly orcounterclockwise, loosing at Fig. 1, and the section 18 is again swungout of alignment with the section 40 to permit removal of the core.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings, to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentz- 1. In conibhiation, a base, a segmental housingmounted thereon, a ring shaped gear rotatably mounted within saidhousing, a rotatable shaft mounted on said base, a gear mounted on saidshaft and meshing with said first named gear, a

second shaft parallel to said first shaft mounted on said base, a pairof oppositely disposed conical pulleys mounted on said shafts,respectively, a belt interconnecting said pulleys, and means forsupporting an annular core for rotation in a plane perpendicular to theplane of said gear, said core having a fiat surface and a curvedsurface, said means comprising a member geared to said second shafthaving mounted thereon a member formed with a flat disc portion,engaging the flat surface of said core and a frusto-conical portion, thesmall end of which contacts the disc, engaging the curved surface ofsaid core.

2. In combination, a base, a segmental housing mounted thereon, aring-shaped gear rotatably mounted within said housing, a rotatableshaft mounted on said base, a gear mounted on said shaft and meshingwith said first named gear, a second shaft parallel to said first shaftmounted on said base, a pair of oppositely disposed conical pulleysmounted on said shafts, respectively, a belt interconnecting saidpulleys, and means for supporting an annular core for rotation in aplane perpendicular to the plane of said gear, said core having a fiatsurface and a curved surface, said means comprising a m mber geared tosaid second shaft having mounted thereon a member formed with a flatdisc portion, engaging the flat surface of said core, and afrusto-conical portion, the small end of which contacts the discengaging the curved surface of said core, a bracket attached to saidbase, and a member rotatably mounted on said bracket having a discportion in the plane of said first disc portion and likewise engagingthe flat surface of said core, and a frusto-conical portion having thesmall end thereof in contact with said disc portion, and engaging thecurved surface of said core.

3. A wreath winding machine comprising, in combination, an annularring-shaped gear, means for supporting the same for rotation, means forsupporting an annular core for rotation in a plane perpendicular to theplane of said gear, said core hawing a fiat surface and a curvedsurface, a member having a flat wall. portion in a plane perpendicularto said gear arranged to engage said fiat surface of the annular cor anda frustoconical portion arranged to engage said curved surface of theannular core and having the small end thereof contacting said fiat wall,and means for simultaneously rotating said gear and member.

4. A wreath winding machine comprising, in combination, an annularring-shaped gear, means for support ng the same for rotation, means forsupporting an annular core for rotation in a plane perpendicular to theplane of said gear, said core having a flat surface and a curvedsurface, a member having a fiat wall portion in a plane perpendicular tosaid gear arranged to engage said fiat surface of the annular core, anda frusto-conical portion arranged to engage said curved surface of theannular core and having the small end thereof contacting said flat wall,and means for simultaneously rotating said gear and member, and meansfor changing the relative speed of rotation of said member and gear.

5. A core winding machine comprising a base, a gear housing mounted onsaid base comprising a channel member terminating in peripherallyspacedends, said channel member having a plurality of outwardly projectingportions, a ring gear having gear teeth on the outer periphery thereofnioiuited for rotation in said housing, said ring gear having a sectionpivoted at one end thereof about an axis disposed in a planeperpendicular to the axis of said gear and also at right angles to aradius of said gear, and movable through the space between said ends ofthe housing to permit the positioning of a closed annular core withinsaid gear, means for supporting said ring gear in said channel membercomprising an idler gear mounted in one of said outwardly projectingportions of the channel member in mesh with said ring gear, and meansfor driving said ring gear comprising a gear mounted in another of saidoutwardly projecting portions of the channel and in mesh with said ringgear.

6. A core Winding machine comprising a gear housing of channel shapedcross-section and terminating in peripherally spaced ends, a ring gearmounted for rotation in said housing, said gear having a section pivotedat one end thereof about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said gearand also perpendicular to a radius of said gear and movable through thespace between the ends of the housing to permit the positioning of aclosed annular core within said gear.

DAVID J. KELMAN.

